I do not own Dirty Dancing.

Chapter Fifty Six

POV Baby

Unchained Melody

By the corner of my eye, I see Johnny and my Father coming back around to the doors that lead out of the play House. I hadn't ever truly felt a need to eavesdrop, but right now, I was tempted, desperate to know what my Father was saying to Johnny. After all, this was the conversation that would effect my life the most in the here and now- if he would give Johnny and me chance.

I didn't know what to think. My Father knew now that Johnny hadn't been the one who got Penny pregnant. But he was also almost as stubborn as I was, which didn't bode well if Johnny and I wanted to stay together. "What did he say to you?" I questioned anxiously on Johnny's return to my side, twisting my finger in nervousness.

Johnny's answer is concise, to the point, "He asked me if I'd thought about the future, and then told me that he'd gotten Max to give me my job back," And I honestly don't know how much of that I really heard. All I was really aware of was this- Johnny had his job back. My Father helped him get it back. And it just seemed too good to be true.

"He what?" I questioned in disbelief. My Father still wasn't all that fond of Johnny, I thought, even though he knew now that Johnny hadn't been the one to get Penny into that mess. But maybe I'd underestimated his level of acceptance to my boyfriend. It doesn't matter, though. It will be okay now. He has his job back. My Father is giving us a chance.

"I don't have to go, Baby," Johnny told me in a low voice, smiling In a way I've never seem before. "I can stay here," He really looked happy then. Happier than I'd ever seen Johnny since we'd met, though that wasn't all that long ago. I was certain that smile meant something, and I had a feeling about what it might be that Johnny had to say to me, but I wouldn't press now, I considered during our embrace and then kiss. He would tell me in his own time.

"Johnny, that's wonderful," I managed to breathe out in relief once we'd managed to pry ourselves far enough away from one another to be able to say anything. "I'm so glad you don't have to go!" I exclaimed in abandon.

"I am too, Baby," Johnny told me quietly, those mesmerizing blue eyes of his twinkling down at me, dragging me further into their depths.

Not a second more has passed before I decide that I was done hanging around here for no apparent reason. Not when this was our last night here and there was an empty bed with our name on it just outside. Not when there was so much dancing and happiness going on that there wasn't a soul who would notice a couple of kids sneaking out to do a whole lot more than dancing.

"You're a bit eager," Johnny chuckled, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb as I nearly dragged him down the hall that led to the doors.

I looked back at him with a wild grin on my face. "We leave tommorrow morning. I want tonight to count," I answered, not bothering to stop moving for a second. I could only hope we didn't get interrupted again. I doubted it would stop us right now, anyway. We could barely keep our hands off each other when we weren't running out of time.

"Well, in that case, I'm on board," Johnny laughter as we made our way out to his car, which had been somewhat haphazardly parked near the front of the main house. In his true gentleman nature, Johnny offered a kind smile and opened the passenger side door for me. "Your chariot awaits,"

I gave a coy grin, only half annoyed at him. "And how shall I express my gratitude?"

Johnny moved a bit closer, arms around me, and answered in a quiet voice, "A kiss will do." A smile curling onto my face, to stood on tiptoe, arms around his neck, and kissed him.

Johnny's cabin was pretty unrecognizable from what It had been the last time I'd been in here. No clothes hung from beams in the rafters as a makeshift closet. No miscellaneous records sat crammed into every available surface. Even the poster of the Matador that had hung on his wall was gone, all stuffed into his car. Only the furniture had been left behind. And all we brought back were the phonograph and some records. That was all we really needed right now, except maybe the bed.

Johnny bent low over the floor setting up the record player, me behind him. I felt a little awkward in such an empty room, even now. I still wasn't quite used to this odd anxiousness that always seemed to come before Johnny and I did anything, and I didn't know if I ever would be. No matter my nervousness, I needed to talk to him before anything happened. "Johnny?" I cautiously questioned.

"Yeah?" He responded, looking over his shoulder at me, eyes bluer than ever in this light. I felt my breath catch just a little, and press forward.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Baby. You can ask me anything you want," Johnny assured me with a faint smile. I felt myself relax a little bit when the music started, Unchained Melody. Johnny turned around and stood up to his full height, towering nearly a head above me. I swallowed, fingers tracing up Johnny's arms, a shifter falling down my spine at his hands on my waist.

As best I can, I push my nerves away. I didn't need them right now. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" He asked, looking confused, and I supposed I couldn't blame him. That was a pretty vague question, after all.

So I clarify, "The night we met- You danced with me. Why?" I know the answer- at least I think I know what I want it to be. I know I need to hear something before I go that makes me really believe that this wouldn't be just a Summer fling. As much as I wanted to just simply trust that Johnny wouldn't just let this go so easy, I needed more than that. And the longer I stood here waiting for an answer, the less sure I became.

But finally, he managed to say something- "I'm not sure I had a reason," Johnny says. "I could tell that you didn't know how to dance. And I wanted to show you how. But that didn't make it a good idea to actually do it. Maybe I thought it would be interesting. Maybe I thought that if you came out of this with one experience of really living, you wouldn't be like the rest of them. I don't know why, Baby. Something told me to dance with you that night, and I did. I'm glad it happened."

It isn't all I wanted to hear, and it shouldn't surprise me that it's not, so I push further into the subject, "Things could've been very different if it hadn't,"

Johnny's eyebrows furrowed in thought, but his eyes themselves didn't leave my face once. "I don't know about that," He began quietly, and it almost makes me want to groan the way I feel myself hanging onto his every word. "You would've still found Penny the next night, and came to find Billy. You would've tried to help her." Johnny attempted to convince me, "I just wouldn't have known you at first. That doesn't mean that I would've never fallen in love with you."

I know that this isn't new, that Johnny couldn't have just decided that was what he felt without a lot of thought, and I know I feel the same way. I know I steered him into this conversation, and I have wondered more times than I care to admit if he felt that way, but it still manages to shock me on some level when I finally heard those words, some small part of me that still didn't quite believe he wanted me, maybe never would. "You love me?" I echoed.

And Johnny leaned a little bit closer, eyes still. "I love you, Frances Houseman."

I felt my heart pounding in my chest and my hands on his shoulders, shaking a little bit. But then there was a smile on my face, tentative and unsure, but there, and then...

"I love you, too."

So Johnny kissed me.

I remembered what happened that night like yesterday, in it's entirety, every feeling and kiss and touch, but I don't think I could put together the right words to describe everything it was, even with my college girl brain, Johnny would tease me in years to come. I just know we danced, and kissed, and made love. I know we undressed each other, and those precious words were said so many more times that night that I should have lost count, but I didn't, since I never tried of saying or hearing them.

Sometimes I doubt if I ever loved him more than I did then, but then I still see him smiling the devil-may-care grin he wore when he dragged me out on the dance floor that first time, and maybe he would impromptu push me into a dip or steal a kiss before I even realized what was happening and I think that I've never been more wrong. But then, I'm biased.

"When did you know you love me?" Johnny asked me once things had calmed down, the record long run out and both of us too tired to leave the bed.

I answer in so many words, "I was certain when I found out that Vivian accused you of the thefts. I realized I loved you when I found out how far I was willing to go to protect you. When I felt the pain of living without you for those few off hours, knowing I'd never told you. This morning, I was almost certain, but I was too afraid to say so. I whispered it as I walked away." I recalled. It was not one moment of realization that led to this feeling, it was cumulative, and so more than one moment. "When did you know?" I ask in turn.

"I suspected ever since that day in the rain," He answered. "You remember our first fight?" I gave a nod, still watching him. "The night before I was accused, I told you that the night previous I'd dreamt about your Father. There was something I didn't mention. In the dream, I told you I loved you. I was certain when I realized just how badly I wanted your Father to accept us. That was never something I'd wanted before. I even told Penny, when I ran off to her. Last night, after you fell asleep, I said that I loved you. I was scared to say it when you could hear me. Until now,"

"What do we do in the morning?" I said after a heavy sigh, resting my head on Johnny's chest. "I have to leave, and go to college, and you have to stay here. I wish I could stay with you. I want to. But if letters and phone calls are all that's possible, I'll take what I can get."

Johnny adjusted his head to look at me, probably for better eye contact, or something. This felt like a conversation seroogy's enough for eye contact. "It's like you said, letters and phone calls. I want to stay in contact, Baby. I'd die before I gave up on what we have," Johnny told me, and the cliche-ness of the line makes me wants to roll my eyes, or it would if I believed for a second that he didn't mean it. "I don't want you to go. But you have to. No matter what, don't hold yourself back for me. I'm not worth it."

"You are to me," I smiled, some playfulness filling my voice again. This wasn't over, not by a long shot.

Johnny smiled back, and gave me a short kiss. And once he pulled away, he said, "When the morning comes, we'll do what we can. We'll fight for our love. If we have to go out, we'll go out with a bang. I am never going to stop loving you, Frances Houseman," He promised, and I let myself beleive him this time. "Don't ever forget that. This is not the end, I promise you. I refuse to let what we have end here. We're going to figure it out. And we're going to do it together,"

It is a nice thought. So nice that when I finally do nod of in his arms, I'm not wondering about tomorrow anymore. It bothers me no more.

Last chapter, right before the new year. Or, it hit, right as I'm typing this, more like. It's finally done. You guys stuck with me till the end, you wanted as much of the story as I put out, you reviewed, and followed and favorited, and read and re-read, even when I wouldn't update for good knows how long. Thank you. It means the world to me that you people would actually sit around and put up with all my bullshit just for a few thousand words of whatever cliche romantic filth I've churned out, and had the guys to call it good. And maybe you'll hear from me again, maybe not. But I'm so glad to have the chance to do this in the first place.

Happy new year! Happy 2019!

The Lovely Ballroom Geek